[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6097975,"mediaKeyId","2826184-2acfb9aa7ab16f8b715021c1f57ab78b","parentId",2826184,"title","Lawmakers hear broad opposition, qualified support on bill to make AI use a bargaining subject","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",119000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826184-2acfb9aa7ab16f8b715021c1f57ab78b&start=119&end=119","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826184-2acfb9aa7ab16f8b715021c1f57ab78b/thumbnail_119000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6097975/Washington/Lawmakers-hear-broad-opposition-qualified-support-on-bill-to-make-AI-use-a-bargaining-subject","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097975-71a0b72debb63894311a47c60d1eb50f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770678191&Signature=FxqsLtCthVZMQoRQqJZikT0AgD2b~dK~DXTsAR0G3EEe9w9BTv4ueM6p3m9s6GJ88~u57QtMYKX~j-vPO3lLfu6-NBtLiBTwGfrx1MBlB8D8Jot15NeCuC5zYDtdrvcV32Ac6C5SQM8D6HE1JoI7d5cDnNBYmmvoGZpkcRg9j3cTHP6jvKZjtVLLvaYlMbrdS4~22-L98K09UVnveixj2qRvnSlihB6bJlKQEADhD6Ojj2z1bnSzlIVIfA2kPuig3W2qCfz7~IUwwzR~NbD7kF-I7ScPlYkqDZON2usHgcrtlnYS~11F~ZdayFjf83ve-hF2mCEvtieyZPXjMZ31Fw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Washington Legislature","date","2025-03-31T00:00:00Z","article","Engrossed Substitute House Bill 16 22, which would require public employers to bargain with represented employees about some decisions to adopt artificial intelligence and related technologies, drew lengthy public testimony in the Labor & Commerce Committee.

Supporters said early worker participation would protect jobs and improve deployments; opponents said the bill threatens core management rights and would create costly delays.

The bill’s proponents included Jonathan Young, SeaTac city manager, who said the city supports the measure because “taking the time to discuss with represented employees who are our subject matter experts… will result in better informed decision making.” Davis Powell, executive director of SAG-AFTRA Seattle Local, said the bill “would ensure our ability to bargain over emerging technology, which could otherwise be used to replace and supplant a news service.” Joey Hicklin, an electronics engineer who develops AI tools, said frontline worker input is required because “nuance…can only come from frontline workers.”

Opposition came from a broad cross-section of local government and state officials. Candace Bach, representing the Association of Washington Cities, testified the bill “would effectively take the decision making authority out of the hands of the elected city council” and make implementation decisions subject to bargaining. Paul Jewell, for the Washington State Association of Counties, said the use of technology has traditionally been a management right and expressed concern that sections 5 and 6, as drafted, could be interpreted to expand bargaining to decision-making rather than only impacts. Sherry Sawyer of the Office of Financial Management said the bill as drafted creates unclear parameters and could hinder procurement for large IT projects. Bill Clark, with the Washington PUD Association, and Eric Fitch of the Washington Public Ports Association raised comparable concerns about operational delays and unclear drafting.

Witnesses representing local governments emphasized examples where technology increases efficiency or safety, such as virtual reality training for police officers cited by Port Orchard Mayor Rob Putansu. Several speakers noted ambiguity in the bill’s definitions: Morgan Irvin of the Association of Washington Business said the bill’s text defines AI broadly enough to include autocorrect-style suggestions, a scope he said is inconsistent with other state law.

Committee members asked questions about the statute’s effect on the traditional separation between management decisions and bargainable impacts. Senator King summarized the prevailing legal understanding in testimony: the choice to acquire or deploy technology is a management decision while the consequences of that choice—effects on wages, hours and working conditions—are bargainable. Some proponents said they had offered compromise language that would require notice and consultation (for example, a 180-day notice provision offered earlier in the House) but said it was not adopted there.

Committee staff reported the public testimony tally for HB 16 22 as 22 pro, 668 con and 3 other. The committee suspended five-day notice for this bill later in the day to allow further action the next day.

Discussion: committee members and witnesses repeatedly distinguished between bargaining over the decision to adopt technology and bargaining over impacts such as wages or performance evaluations. Many local-government witnesses argued the bill’s current drafting would require bargaining over decisions and would thus slow or raise the cost of adopting new systems. Supporters argued early bargaining or consultation would protect workers and produce better outcomes.

No final committee vote on the substantive merits of HB 16 22 is recorded in the transcript; the record shows only public testimony and the later committee motion to suspend five-day notice to permit further consideration.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Labor & Commerce - 3/31/2025 10:30 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Engrossed Substitute House Bill 16 22, which would require public employers to bargain with represented employees about some decisions to adopt artificial intelligence and related technologies, drew lengthy public testimony in the Labor & Commerce Committee.","taxTitle","Labor & Commerce, Senate, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20507,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6097960,"Committee advances several liquor, alcohol-service and career-education bills; votes recorded as voice votes",737,2413000,3150000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826184-2acfb9aa7ab16f8b715021c1f57ab78b&start=2413&end=3150","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826184-2acfb9aa7ab16f8b715021c1f57ab78b/thumbnail_2413000.jpg","/articles/6097960/Washington/Committee-advances-several-liquor-alcohol-service-and-career-education-bills-votes-recorded-as-voice-votes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097960-dbecaf3487a6c42138a6a707ac656529/orig.mp4?Expires=1770678191&Signature=dOTews~2wRuw8fZOEL~EJdM76vVGAwfbS0~dDRWO7BCLuAQ2K2ZnYKsKW8lxhy0D3x9USPWI1fhHjcytMierhsfWaPPu~-9DQTqAs0A5TLK8cZ6cHuWgh3IhxbC56BSMUUlOZ0Co2s5OYldEIATrVQd1Gc9iFgaKkcNGpAcrymMA2xbgjs~mTQlTv8-bKzILiaYcoWENM8NEi7QMpwhSB9Egduuw4t8BX8AOdPfh4pWEfz1EpBOwbrGK6cAl0gm12hn8nVFbT4n~3s4bmECLnXSWOBSTYa4vJDhbGW4AEmKKXJHC9mtm8Fj~Skut4kH4xHh2fCnb3VS0-wPY8V8W6w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Labor & Commerce Committee conducted executive action on several bills after closing public testimony.

Key actions recorded in the transcript:

- Engrossed House Bill 16 02 (food service options for liquor licenses): Chair Saldana moved and the committee gave the bill a due-pass recommendation to the Rules Committee. The motion carried by voice vote; numeric tallies were not specified.

- Second Substitute House Bill 15 15 (expanded outdoor alcohol service and temporary event authority): The committee adopted a striking amendment that incorporated Senator Saldana’s and Senator Alvarado’s changes (the committee withdrew one amendment and adopted an amended striking amendment labeled A2 to align expiration dates). The committee then rolled the amendment into a new striking amendment and moved the bill with a due-pass recommendation to the Ways & Means Committee. The motion carried by voice vote; numeric tallies were not specified.

- House Bill 17 22 (secondary career education — allows 16-year-olds to begin EMT training and addresses related age restrictions): Committee moved the bill to the Rules Committee with a due-pass recommendation by voice vote; numeric tallies were not specified.

- The committee held (did not advance) Senate Bill 57 86 (liquor license fee increases) and Engrossed Substitute House Bill 15 33 for further work; staff indicated fiscal notes and amendment work remained.

Procedural action later in the hearing: the committee voted to suspend the five-day notice rule to permit immediate consideration of Engrossed Substitute House Bill 16 22 and Engrossed Substitute House Bill 15 51; the motion carried by voice vote.

Several bills were reported earlier in the hearing by committee staff but not acted on during the executive-action block; those included House Bill 16 98 (liquor permit and licensing updates), House Bill 13 47 (cannabis testing laboratories) and House Bill 16 36 (removal of 24-liter per-transaction limit). Where staff reported prior House votes, staff noted: HB 16 98 passed the House 95–0; HB 13 47 passed the House 95–2; HB 16 36 passed the House 91–5.

All recorded committee floor actions in the transcript were taken by voice vote; the transcript records members answering “aye” or “no” but does not list roll-call tallies.

","During executive action the Labor & Commerce Committee moved multiple bills into next steps, adopting amendments where noted and sending bills to the next committee with due-pass recommendations. Votes were recorded by voice; numeric tallies were not provided in the transcript.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6097964,"Industry and labs back bill to make WSDA sole accreditor for cannabis testing labs",167,2808000,2975000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826184-2acfb9aa7ab16f8b715021c1f57ab78b&start=2808&end=2975","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826184-2acfb9aa7ab16f8b715021c1f57ab78b/thumbnail_2808000.jpg","/articles/6097964/Washington/Industry-and-labs-back-bill-to-make-WSDA-sole-accreditor-for-cannabis-testing-labs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097964-7da38614ec7c83da9b328bd49073d209/orig.mp4?Expires=1770678191&Signature=nTZnUmPW68mKSX4zg48o2eVrWgMDvAFR0BBGzQZoMIvPJOna1w-QUoco2wv3fim6hQC4LBDK1xla5YmvXyBodokxmWNCj9m2qCu444CaJqOQ30xg31kYXq0ebXzRuadW1rBB9YrWVlns4d2gXsvI6Guhwvw16auZm8-xBT62rj52b804FVdeRwGc7frmHbIKY7yWL8BNQ-ixZXOPQio6swuitIwy4IXAJ8jvM9-LxTNNMo9~vqkq82B5GhBZJHMXMNyLfFcWLjAG2zZbc0v~zlZfJ6S98wwrecZRx9gOlJ4HESTEkaB~qXW0tH7kObUvBMasQ7kt-XHGIWuCJvZx6Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 13 47, which passed the House earlier this session, would require the Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) to accept accreditation of cannabis testing laboratories by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) as the sole basis for certifying or renewing lab certification, provided the lab has not violated specified LCB requirements.

Caitlin Ryan of the Cannabis Alliance testified in support and asked for clarifying amendments that would define LCB’s authority narrowly to oversight of required quality-assurance testing, financial conflicts, and transport/possession protocols. She requested that non-mandatory or research-and-development test results not be required to be reported into the state traceability system.

Brooke Davies of the Washington Cannabis Business Association told the committee labs are now regulated by multiple agencies (Department of Health, LCB and WSDA) and said the bill seeks statutory clarity to reduce redundancies and conflicts in agency rules. Nick Mosley, who works for a WSDA-accredited testing lab, said the statute would align with prior legislative decisions to move lab accreditation to WSDA (citing the legislature’s prior work beginning with House Bill 2052) and recommended clarifying amendments to reflect that intent.

Committee staff reported the bill passed the House 95–2 and staff recommended the change to reduce duplicative agency oversight. Witnesses asked the committee to add language clarifying that LCB’s authority is limited to oversight of required testing and certain chain-of-custody responsibilities, rather than method validation or other lab-accreditation functions.

No final committee action on HB 13 47 is recorded in the transcript excerpt beyond the testimony; committee staff invited written technical amendments.

","House Bill 13 47 would require the Liquor and Cannabis Board to accept Washington State Department of Agriculture accreditation as the basis for certifying cannabis testing laboratories; industry groups and accredited labs supported the change but asked for language clarifying the limits of LCB authority.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_46":105,"_48":106,"_50":107,"_52":108,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":109,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":110,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6097970,"Cannabis social equity bill draws concern from entrepreneurs who say it would freeze program",122,1479000,1601000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826184-2acfb9aa7ab16f8b715021c1f57ab78b&start=1479&end=1601","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826184-2acfb9aa7ab16f8b715021c1f57ab78b/thumbnail_1479000.jpg","/articles/6097970/Washington/Cannabis-social-equity-bill-draws-concern-from-entrepreneurs-who-say-it-would-freeze-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097970-f6f050202edf4f4a420df6d94fd6a46e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770678191&Signature=Vz9YOXxDnPI9EMe7jZ7GFN8ETEKoJXePwZkqyqRGchYOFFGeqm-E0ldB8p55s4VXCbQGoSLiAcTbabf9Yh6jSYJjCjU0-xjFWWQ3LHCAmK4a-eWAx-aDcNwD72EQpKdTy~326i5YbBdRd-VlymDdj6o1RQtJF8~UxMy6WADFzknNb8PjHoFvVvQeB2MOlXvTCultmQhpjHodff6wCXF7uLsYWdzeoI0-M1VOl-LOMxVdHHcPTX0~vJzWJBZRbVAGPkAXjiUB5wnIitujuBsBIFL-ACajJiPiX-us~y~xmwQT4m77wtOUVoA5JWNI4U4N-yW73T20KNXzS-gkk1XOAA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Engrossed Substitute House Bill 15 51, which lawmakers described in committee as addressing the Liquor and Cannabis Board’s (LCB) social equity program, drew testimony from cannabis industry stakeholders who say the bill would pause or impede issuance of social equity licenses.

Peter Manning, president of Black Excellence Cannabis, told the committee the measure functions as a “Trojan horse” that would freeze the social equity program and prevent issuance of licenses to Black and Brown applicants who have waited years to enter the regulated market. Manning said that after House amendments, the LCB indicated it would pause the program if the bill as passed remained in effect.

Caitlin Ryan, executive director of the Cannabis Alliance, said she supports thoughtful review of the social equity program but urged targeted, transparent fixes. Ryan cited LCB board comments indicating the program was “on track” but noted an operational reality: of 40 licenses issued, 32 did not yet have a physical location. She asked the committee to prioritize oversight, transparency and implementation of existing recommendations over an approach she said would effectively stall progress.

Committee staff closed testimony on HB 15 51 after calling additional names of people who had signed in; several additional individuals were invited to submit written testimony if they could not appear in person. No committee final action on HB 15 51 is recorded in the transcript; later the committee voted to suspend the five-day notice rule for this bill so the committee could consider it further the following day.

","Witnesses representing social-equity applicants and the cannabis industry urged the committee not to advance Engrossed Substitute House Bill 15 51, saying the bill as drafted would pause or effectively halt the Liquor and Cannabis Board’s social equity licensing pathway.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lawmakers hear broad opposition, qualified support on bill to make AI use a bargaining subject

Committee advances several liquor, alcohol-service and career-education bills; votes recorded as voice votes

Industry and labs back bill to make WSDA sole accreditor for cannabis testing labs

Cannabis social equity bill draws concern from entrepreneurs who say it would freeze program